System for filling containers



1943. E. W. BLEAM ET AL. 2,333,232

SYSTEM FOR FILLING CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 13. 1941 2 Sheets-sheaf 1 I N V E N TORE ATTORNEY.

Nov, 2, 1943. E. w. BLEAM ET AL. 2,333,232

SYSTEM FOR FILLING CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 15, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS (2 4/1 M BY m/ X Q S; ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 2, 1943 SYSTEM FOR FILLING CONTAINERS Edgar W. Bleam and Hans Grotewold, Philadelphia, Pa., assignors to Stokes and Smith Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 13, 1941, Serial No. 422,836 I 13 Claims. (01. 220- 95) Our invention relates to systems for filling containers, cartons or the like, generically termed containers, and particularly concerns control by the containers themselves of the operation of the container-filling system.

In accordance with our invention, a relay, preferably pneumatic, responsive to arrival or presence of an unfilled container at a predetermined station is utilized to control one or more of the steps or operations of transfer of a container to a filling station, filling of a container, and transfer of a filled container from the filling station; more particularly, a pressure-responsive device for controlling the operation of a filling mechanism and/or of operation of structure for transferring cartons to the filling mechanism is controlled by a stop or registering member having one or more ports adapted at least partially to be blocked to control the pressure applied to aforesaid device.

Our invention further resides in systemshaving the features of construction, combination, and arrangement hereinafter described and claimed.

For an understanding of our invention and for illustration of embodiments thereof, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in'which:

Fig. 1, in perspective, with parts broken away and parts omitted, shows a system for filling containers;

Fig. 2 is a detail view, on enlarged scale, of significant control elements of the system of Fig.

Fig. 3, a detail view, in section illustrates a cooperative relation of a container with stop structure of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 illustrates a modification of Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 1 as exemplary of a system embodying our invention, the empty or unfilled containers C of cardboard, sheet metal, or other suitable material, are fed by conveyor i to a position or station determined by stop 2 from which each container in turn is moved by transfer member 3 or equivalent, to a position or station below the snout 4 of a filling machine. After each container has received a predetermined charge of filling, it is pushed away from the filling station, onto conveyor 5 for example, by the next container to be filled. During its feeding and return strokes, the member 3 precludes movement of containers by or with conveyor I; upon retraction of member 3 beyond belt I the containers again move until the leading container reaches stop 2.

The cam 8 which effects reciprocation of the pusher member 3 is provided with a groove 1 which receives a cam follower, not shown, carried by arm 8 whose movement is transmitted to member 3 by shaft't, arm I0, and link ll. Cam 3 is driven from the intermittently rotated shaft i2 by chain l4 which connects sprocket l3 on shaft H with sprocket IS on the cam shaft l6.

To shaft I6 is also attached cam I 8 which engages cam follower IS on arm 20 pivoted at 2| to a frame member of the machine and connected by link 22 to plunger 23 to the upper end of which is attached platform 24. During a cycle of the machine, the spring 25 under control of cam l8 raises the platform 24 to press the container thereon against the under face of the annular member 28 which is attached to and sur-' cam l8, by continued rotation of shaft l8, lowers the platform 24 to allow transfer therefrom of the filled container and to re-tension the spring 25 that it may again elevate platform 24 in the next cycle of the machine to press another container against the sealing ring 26 before filling is discharged into it.

When use of the filling machine does not include filling of containers with finely divided materials which tend to float in air when disturbed and settle slowly, the mechanism for effecting vertical movement of platform 24 may be omitted and the top of the containers therefore left unsealed by member 26, or equivalent, during filling.

The auger 29 which feeds filling material in the hopper 30 through the snout 4 into the containers is connected by a bayonet and socket coupling 3| to the lower end of shaft 32 to whose upper end is attached gear 33 driven from the intermittently rotated shaft 34 through the gear train including gears 36, 31 and 38.

The agitator 39 which prevents packing of filling material in the hopper is secured to the lower end of hollow shaft 40 to the upper end of which is attached gear 4| driven by gear 42 rotatable with aforesaid gear 38.

The driving connection between the intermittently rotated shaft 34 and shaft 43, which is rotated continuously by motor 44 by means of pulleys 45, 46 and belt 41, includes gear 48 attached to shaft 43 and gear 49 attached to the driving member 50 of clutch 5| of known type. When the forked control member 52 of the clutch is in position shown in Fig. -1, member 58 is free to rotate about shaft 34. When member 52 is swung counter-clockwise about its pivot 53, clutch discs 34c and 58c respectively attached to shaft 34 and to member 58 .are pressed into engagement with each other to effect rotation of shaft 34. When member 52 is lowered or swung in reverse direction to its former position, the clutch plates are disengaged and shaft 34 is quickly brought to rest by brake 54; aforesaid clutchbrake unit is well known in the art.

The engagement and disengagement of clutch is controlled by cam 55 attached to the intermittently rotatable shaft 56. The cam follower 81 held continuously in engagement with cam 55 is carried by the extension 59 of lever 68 pivotally supported at 6| from the frame of the machine. The link 62 pivotally supported by arm 68 is provided with an offset guide portion 63 through which extends the rod 64 and between which and the stop 65 afforded by nuts 66 is compressed the spring 61. The operating connection between cam 55 and the clutch-actuating member 52 is completed by the coupling member 68 attached to the lower end of rod 64 and pivotally connected at 69 to member 52.

When during a revolution of shaft 56, the arm 68 is raised, the clutch-operating member 52 is raised to effect engagement of the members-of clutch 5| and rotation of the feed-auger 29. The pressure between the clutch plates is limited by spring 61 which affords a resilient link in the operating connections from cam 55 to arm 52. Rotation of the feed-auger continues for a proportionate part of a revolution of shaft 56 determined by the shape of cam 55 which may comprise two or more sectors, one attached to shaft 56 and the other or others adjustably clamped thereto.

For effecting and controlling the intermittent rotation of shaft 56 there is attached to it the driven member 18 comprising a pawl or dog biased to move into the path of the teeth 1| of the driving clutch member 12 free to rotate on shaft 56 and continuously rotated from shaft 43 to which it is connected by sprockets 13, 14 and chain 15, The latch 16 pivotally'supported at 11 to the frame of the machine holds the driven member 18 out of engagement with the driving member 12 until in 'a' revolution "of the intermittently rotated shaft l6-the cam 18'thereon engages the pin 19 extending from latch'16 and swings the latch in counterclockwise direction about its pivot 11. The clutch member 18 thereupon moves into engagement with the rotating clutch member 12 and shaft 56 rotates cam 55 to initiate the cycle of the feed-auger 29 as above described.

Before a revolution of shaft 56 is completed, the cam 18 passes the latch-pin 19 so that upon completion of a revolution of shaft 56 the driven clutch-member 18 is re-engaged by latch 16 and rocked thereby out of engagement with the driving member 12.

A similar arrangement is used to effect intermittent drive of shaft |2 from the continuously rotating shaft 43; more particularly, the driving clutch member 88, free to rotate on shaft I2, is attached to sprocket 8| connected by chain 83 to sprocket 82 secured to shaft 43. The driven clutch member 84 (Fig. 4) attached to shaft |2 comprises the dog or pawl 85 (Figs. 1, 2) adapted to be restrained by latch 88 from engagement with the driving clutch member 88.

The preferred, pneumatic arrangement ofFig. 1 for controlling the position of latch 86 in response to arrival of a container C at position for transfer to the filling station is shown on larger scale and in more detail in Figs. 2 and 3. Latch 86 is connected by rod 81, coupling 88 and rod 89 to piston 98 or equivalent disposed within chamber 9| connected by pipe 92 to suction pump 93 or equivalent source of sub-atmospheric pressure. A continuation of pipe 92 extends above conveyor belt I and there serves as or is connected to the stop 2 which arrests each of containers C in turn. When the port 94 in the stop or registering member 2 i open, wholly unobstructed by a container, the suction or negative pressure in chamber 9| is insufficient to move piston 98 in opposition to a bias such as afforded by the unbalanced weight of latch 88 and/or by spring 95 which may, as shown, be compressed between collar 96 adjustably secured to operating rod 81 of latch 86 and the stationary member or guide 91; consequently when port 84 is unobstructed latch 86 remains in the inactive position shown in Fig. 2 with the driven clutch member restrained from engagement with the rotating clutch member 88.

When however, the transfer member 3 is retracted and allows a container to move into engagement with stop 2, Fig. 3, the bleeder port 94 is to greater or less extent closed and the difference between the pressure in chamber 9| and atmospheric pressure, to which the right-hand side of piston 98 is exposed because of vent 98, is sufficiently great to overcome spring and piston 98 thereupon moves to the left, swinging latch 86 in counterclockwise direction about its pivot 99 to its active position so to release the driven clutch member 85 for engagement with the rotating driving-clutch member 88.

During the ensuing revolution of shaft l2, the cam 6 effects a forward and then a return movement of transfer member 3, cam l8 effects an upwardiand then a downward movement of platform 24, and cam 18 by its tripping of latch 16, initiates a cycle of the driving mechanism for feed-auger 29,

So long as containers C are supplied by belt or equivalent, or upon resumption of supply, the transfer member 3 serves intermittently to allow passage of a container to the stop 2, for initiation of another cycle of the filling system.

To relieve the container to be transferred from suction applied through port 94 or at least to ensure return of latch 86 to its original position before completion of a revolution of shaft l2, the pressure in stop 2 and in chamber 9| is raised substantially to atmospheric pressure shortly after each release by latch 88 of clutch member 85. That result may be attained, asshown in Fig. 2, by connection to the suction line 92 of chamber |88 normally closed by valve |8|, held in its closed position by biasing spring I82. Opening of the relief valve IN is controlled by cam I83 rotatable with shaft l2 and engaged by cam follower |84 carried by one arm of bellcrank I85 whose other arm engages the stem of valve IN. The angular disposition of cam I83 on shaft .12 is such that valve |8| remains closed until latch 88 releases clutch member 85 and opens before member 3 in the ensuing cycle moves forward to push a container from stop 2 toward the filling station.

Unlike arrangements in which the stop engaged by the empty containers is movable by them and is mechanically connected to latch 88 or equivalent, operativeness of the arrangement of Figs. 1 to 3 is not dependent upon the weight of the containers nor upon the frictional 'dra'g between the containers and theirconveyor; in fact with the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the individual unfilled containers may wight as little as a small fraction of an ounce yet reliably and accurately control operation of the filling system. This high sensitivity is obtained without use of delicate devices such as photo-electric tubes, thermionic amplifiers and the like.

When the machine is to be used for filling containers which though not so light as to require the aforesaid pneumatic relay system are nevertheless insufilcient in weight directly mechanically to trip latch 80, there may be utilized the arrangement shown in Fig. 4.

Stop member 2A is an L shaped bar adjustably secured as by screw I08 to member I01 pivotally mounted at I08 upon the housing I09 supported by bracket H0. The pivoted structure comprising stop 2A and member I01 is counterbalanced by the weight III adjustably secured to rod II2 extending from member I0I. With weight III properly adjusted, the unbalanced torque tending to rotate stop 2A clockwise about axis I08 is only slightly larger than the opposing torque due to contact spring IIS so that the force exerted by a fairly light container when moved by conveyor I against stop 2A is suflicient to move member I0I in counter-clockwise.direction to effect or permit closure of contacts II3, Ill, preflink I" to latch 86. As soon as transfer member 8, in the cycle of the machine initiated by release of latch 80, moves the container away from stop 2A the weight III returns the stop to its original position and eflects or permits separation of contacts II3, I; the resulting de-energization of solenoid II5 allows latch 86 to drop back into position to intercept the driven clutch member 85 at the end of a revolution of shaft I2 and so interrupt rotation of that shaft until latch 80 is released in response to arrival of the next container in position against stop 2A. The biasing force afforded by the unbalanced weight of latch 80 and/or spring 05 is sufilcient to ensure return of latch 86 to the position shown in Fig. 4

within that portion of the cycle remaining after the container has been pushed transversely of belt I away from stop 2A.

The rigid stop H8 arrests the container after stop 2A has been moved sufiiciently to effect closure of contacts H3, H4 and, if the switch is of a desirable normally open type, limits the force exerted on the contacts by the operating arm I01.

Aside from the circumstance this electrical arrangement, in comparison with the pneumatic arrangement of Figs. 1 to 3, is not suited for very light containers; it has the additional disadvantage that when arm I0! is delicately balanced for high sensitivity an extraneous jar or vibration may cause improper operation of contacts II3, II. The high sensitivity of the peumatic arrangement does not depend upon delicate electrical or mechanical adjustments.

Another advantage of the pneumatic arrangeinent is that there is no tendency for the containers to bound away from the stop; in fact as they approach the stop, they are drawn or forced filling mechanism, structure movable to transfer unfilled containers to said filling mechanism, and a pneumatic system for controlling the operation of said filling mechanism and themovement of said structure comprising a member extending into the path of unfilled containers having at least one pressure-controlling port of such size and of such location in said path that it is at least partially blocked by engagement with said matic system for effecting actuation of said means member of a container transferred by said structure.

2. A system for filling containers comprising filling mechanism, reciprocable structure for transferring unfilled containers to said filling mechanism, means actuatable to initiate a cycle of reciprocation of said structure, and a pneucomprising a member extending into the path of and engaged by unfilled containers, said member having, and positioning in the path of unfilled containers, a port obstructed by said container engaging said member.

3. A system for filling containers comprising mechanism operable in a cycle thereof to feed filling to a container, means operable to initiate a cycle of said mechanism including a pressureresponsive element, and means controlling the application of pressure to said element comprising structure extending into the path of and entrolling the pressure applied to said element comprising structure extending into the path of and arresting containers transported by said conveyor, said structure providing, and positioning in the path of said containers, a port controlling said pressure and itself controlled by the containers as they are arrested.

5. A system for filling containers comprising a conveyor transporting unfilled containers, filling mechanism, structure movable to transfer the unfilled containers in turn from said conveyorto said mechanism for filling thereby, means including a pressure-responsive element operable to efiect transfer by said structure of a container and to effect filling of the container by said mechanism, and means controlling the pressure applied to said element comprising structure extending into the path of and arresting containers transported by said conveyor, said structure providing, and positioning in the path of said container, a port controlling said pressure and itself controlled by the containers as they as arrested.

6. A system for filling containers comprising filling mechanism intermittently operable to feed filling to containers, means controlling successive operations of said mechanism including a pressure-responsive element movable between active and inactive positions, means controlling pressure applied to said element comprising structure extending into the path of and engaged by the containers, said structure providing, and positioning in the path of the containers, a port controlling application of said pressure and itself controlled by the containers to eifect movement of said element to active position, and mechanism including pressure-relief means providing for return of said element to inactive position between successive operations of said filling mech- 7. A system for filling containers comprising filling mechanism, structure intermittently movable to transfer unfilled containers to said filling mechanism, means operable to control each of the successive movements of such structure including a pressure-responsive element movable between active and inactive positions, means controlling the pressure applied to said element including structure extending into the path of and engaged by thecontainers, said structure providing, and positioning in the path of the containers, a port controlling application of said pressure and itself controlled by the containers to effect movement of said element to active position, and mechanism including pressure-relief means providing for return of said element to inactive position between successive containertransfer movements of said structure.

8. A system for filling containers comprising mechanism for feeding filling to a container, a conveyor for transporting unfilled containers, movable structure for transferring the containers from said conveyor to said filling mechanism, and a pneumatic system for controlling operation of said filling mechanism and of said transfer structure comprising a stop adjacent the path of said structure and in the path of said containers and having a port at least in part blocked by the containers in turn.

9. A system for filling containers comprising mechanism for filling containers and including a one-cycle clutch, movable structure for transferring containers to said filling mechanism, means for tripping said clutch and for effecting movement of said structure comprising a second one-cycle clutch, means including a pressureresponsive element for tripping said second clutch, and means controlling application of pressure to said element including a member in the path of the containers for engaging a container when in the path of said structure and having a port at least in part blocked by the container.

10. A system for filling containers comprising mechanism for filling containers and including a one-cycle clutch, movable structure for transferring containers to said filling mechanism, means for tripping said clutch and for effecting movement of said structure comprising a second onecycle clutch, means including a pressure-responsive element for tripping said second. clutch,

means controlling application of pressure to said element including a member in the path of the 5 containers for engaging a container when in the path of said structure and having a port at least in part blocked by the container, and means including a relief valve operable during the cycle of said second clutch to ensure resetting thereof between successive transfer movements of said structure.

11. A system for filling containers comprising mechanism for feeding filling to a container, a conveyor for transporting unfilled containers. structure reciprocable transversely of the path of said containers to transferthem in turn to said filling mechanism and when retracted permitting transfer movement by the conveyor of another container, and a pneumatic system for controlling operation of said filling mechanism and reciprocation of said structure from and back to aforesaid retracted position comprising a stop in the path of and arresting each container beyond the retracted transfer structure and having a port at least in part blocked by the arrested container.

12. A system for feeding containers comprising movable container-engaging structure, means for effecting intermittent movement of said structure comprising a one-cycle clutch, means for tripping said clutch comprising a pressure-responsive element, means for controlling the pressure applied to said element comprising structure extending into the path of the containers and providing in said path a port controlling application of saoid pressure and itself controlled by said containers, and a pressure-control valve operated during each cycle of said clutch to provide for quick return of said pressure-responsive element to position occupied before the precedent control of aforesaid port.

13. Asystem for filling containers comprising 'a conveyor transporting unfilled containers, a filling mechanism. structure for transferring unfilled containers from said conveyor to said filling mechanism, means operable to eflect actua- 'tion of said transfer structure comprising-an element movable in response to change of pneumatic pressure, and a container-arresting and pressure-controlling unit extending into the path of the containers on said conveyor for arresting them and providing a port controlling said pressure and itself controlled by the containers as they in turn are arrested while on said conveyor.

EDGAR W. BLEAM. HANS GROTEWOLD. 

